Pokemon - The Farod Region!
by Whackie Jackie
Summary: A young girl by the name of Makani Skylar sets out on her Pokemon journey across the Farod Region, accompanied by her partner Pokemon - A Piplup named Empress. She and her best friend Matty are on a mission to become Pokemon League Champions! A completely normal Pokemon journey, rest assured… There's nothing going on behind closed doors. Nothing at all... ;)
1. A Special Day

_Welcome to the world of Pokemon! It's a wonderful and wild place, where the impossible becomes possible and children are free to explore to their heart's content… As long as they're accompanied by a Pokemon of course! Pokemon are the mysterious creatures that inhabit this planet… Some keep them as pets, others train with them to become experts at Pokemon battling… Some trainers even create stunning spectacles using their Pokemon's moves, in an event called a Pokemon Contest! _

_For many centuries now, Pokemon and humans have worked side-by-side, to create a peaceful and healthy environment. Pokemon live anywhere and everywhere! In the fields, in the mountains, the skies and the seas! There are even Pokemon said to come from space, or from different dimensions altogether! _

_A common goal among Pokemon trainers is to challenge a regions Pokemon League Tournament, for a chance to become that Regions champion! The champion is the most powerful trainer in the Region, and besting one in battle is considered an ultimate sign of strength. _

_However, not all is peaceful on this planet. There have been many accounts of villainous organizations trying to take over, or even end the world! Thankfully, all the attempts are usually stopped dead in their tracks. But that doesn't stop these ruffians from showing up every now and again…_

_But enough jibber-jabber, you're here for the story! _

_This is the tale of a young girl, as she embarks on a journey to win a Pokemon League Tournament and become a champion, accompanied by her cherished Pokemon friends. This won't be like the other stories you've read, no world-ending scenarios involved here, folks! You can rest assured that there's absolutely nothing out of the ordinary going on behind closed doors! Nothing at all!_

_Please, sit back and enjoy._

**Pokemon - The Farod Region!**

* * *

**Chapter One - A Special Day**

Ignoring all the hustle and bustle around her, Twelve-Year-Old Makani Skylar rushed through the city gates towards the giant greenhouse-like building in the center of it all. The Farod Regions Pokemon Research and Rehabilitation Center. Today was a very special day for Makani. Her birthday had been 4 months ago, and after making some arrangements with the Head Professor, Professor Begonia, her parents had managed to secure her a Starter Pokemon for when the newest batch had finished hatching. The last group had hatched two days ago, and once the Professor had sent the message out to all the other new trainers who had reserved a Pokemon, Makani had rushed right over to Foundation City as soon as she could.

Running a little bit behind her was her nerdy childhood best-friend-for-life, Matthew Wilson, or 'Matty' as Makani liked to call him. His birthday was a few months before hers, and just like her parents, Matty's parents had also reserved him a spot. When Makani had first moved to the Farod Region, and arrived in Cape town, she was very shy, and didn't know how to approach people. But when she met Matty, that all changed. Makani and Matty became fast friends through their love of watching Pokemon battles, and their interest in the Pokemon League Tournament. When they were around 7 years old, they had made a promise to each other to face one another in the League Tournament one day.

And today would be the day that they would finally get to set their plans in motion.

The city was a blur around them, and while she would've loved to take in the dazzling scenery around her, Makani had other things on her mind. In just a few moments, she'd be holding her own Pokemon in her arms… Then she could take the time to bask in the scenery. Those thoughts pushed her forward even more.

Makani glanced behind her, seeing Matty still trailing close behind, his red-orange hair getting messed up by the wind. Grinning, Makani shouted behind her,

"Hey Matty! Last one there has to water old man Larry's plants for a week!"

This seemingly grabbed his attention, as next thing Makani knew, Matty zipped past her, wheezing and panting as he tried to stay ahead. She couldn't blame him, honestly. Old man Larry was a cranky old hoot, and watering his plants was like trying to do your homework with an ursaring breathing down your neck. Suddenly, Matty was on the ground. He had tripped on a crack in the concrete, and tumbled to the ground. Makani laughed as she passed him again. She knew he'd be fine, he always was. He never let a little fall upset him.

There was a small crowd gathered around the Greenhouse. There was a stage set up, and a tall, tan man with curly black hair and a beard was giving a speech. He was wearing a lab coat, so Makani assumed he was one of the Professor's lab assistants. Makani slowed down as she approached the crowd, gently pushing her way through it so she could reach the front. Glancing around, she spotted several other kids who looked to be around her age. These must've been the other new trainers!

She jumped as someone tapped her on the shoulder. Spinning around, she saw Matty, arms crossed with an unimpressed look on his face.

"I'm gonna get you back for leaving me behind, 'Kani." He mumbled, staring up at the man giving the speech. Makani grinned sheepishly, rubbing the side of her head.

"Sorry Matty. But I beat you fair and square! Guess you're gonna be watering old man Larry's plants for a few days." She grinned at him, smugly.

Matty opened his mouth to respond, but one of the adults standing behind them bent down and told them to be quiet and listen. The two friends turned their attention to the man.

"-And so the day has finally arrived! Two days ago, The last of the newest batch of Starter Pokemon hatched, and all are in tip-top shape and ready to go, thanks to the excellent efforts of our expert Pokemon breeders!" He waved his hand to the side, and everyone turned to stare at a group of around five trainers, wearing matching bandannas and overalls. There was a round of applause, before the man continued speaking. "Now that all our Starters are ready to go, it's time to distribute them to the new trainers! To do the honors of introducing our fine selection, please welcome to the stage, the Farod Regions own Pokemon expert, Professor Begonia!"

There was another round of applause as the man left the stage, and a woman who looked to be in her early thirties stepped up onto the stage. She had long brunette hair with blonde highlights, and there were small pale patches dotted around her dark skin. Her lab coat was a pale pink color, and in her hair, she had her namesake flower. She had a sweet smile on her face as she scanned the crowd, mainly the children at the front. Clearing her throat, she tapped the microphone attached to her headset.

"Greetings, everyone!" She held up her arms. She was… Quite jovial. "My name is Professor Begonia, and It's that time of year again! As head professor of the Farod Region, one of my many duties includes handing out Starter Pokemon to new trainers. However, I only have 26 Pokemon I can give out at a time. Parents usually reserve a Pokemon for their children ahead of time, so I'm going to ask the children who have a Pokemon saved for them to come up and pick their Pokemon first!"

Begonia pulled a crippled piece of paper out of her coats left pocket, and gently unfolded it. "Ahem. It appears that there are 16 people on this list! Children, if you hear your name called out, please come up onto the stage!"

Makani could barely contain her excitement as the woman began calling out names. Matty's name was one of the first called out, and he gave her a thumbs up and a grin as he ran up onto the stage. She tapped her foot in eagerness, counting in her head. 7… 8… 9…

Until, finally…

"Makani Skylar!"

Lucky number 13! Letting out a small squeal of excitement, she dashed up onto the stage, standing next to Matty. The last three names were called out, and then everyone turned their attention to the other side of the platform, where a small Maractus was wheeling a cart full of Pokeballs onto the stage. The Pokemon stopped next to Begonia, who bent down and gently pet it on the head. "Thank you, Mara."

Standing back up Begonia grabbed a few pokeballs off the cart. "Now, It's time to introduce our selection! Thanks to Professor Magnolia from the Galar Region, we have three more options than we do last year!"

Clearing her throat, Begonia tossed the first five Pokeballs into the air. In a burst of white and blue light, five Pokemon emerged. Begonia stood next to them, a pleased expression on her face. "Native to the Kanto Region, it's Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander, Pikachu and Eevee!"

The five Pokemon looked around at the crowd, before facing the new trainers. Pikachu, Eevee and Charmander looked very curious, but Squirtle and Bulbasaur seemed indifferent. In fact, Squirtle was hiding behind Bulbasaur, shivering. Poor thing must've had a case of nerves.

Picking up three more Pokeballs, Begonia released the next batch. Totodile, Chikorita and Cyndaquil, native to Jhoto. Makani looked over at Matty, and she saw that his eyes were transfixed on Cyndaquil, who was sniffing the ground around it.

The next two sets were released… Treecko, Torchic and Mudkip from Hoenn, and Piplup, Chimchar and Turtwig from Sinnoh. Makani stared at Piplup. It was standing up with it's chest puffed out, a look of confidence on its face. It looked so cute, and Makani was instantly drawn to it.

The next three sets came out, until finally, the last set was introduced. "And finally, from the Galar Region, a first time distribution in our lovely Farod Region, Sobble, Grookey and Scorbunny!"

Makani would admit, she liked the looks of all the starters… But her eyes were still transfixed on the Prideful Piplup.

Finally, selections began. One trainer ran over to the Treecko, and a few moments later, they were spinning around in circles happily, their new partner in their arms. A small girl approached Squirtle, gently offering it her hand. Makani watched as Matty walked over to Cyndaquil, bending down and petting it on the head. She smiled at the two as he stood up, holding Cyndaquil above his head. The Pokemon chirped happily. "You're coming with me, little guy! We're gonna become champions, you and I!"

Makani sighed, brushing a lock of her brown hair out of her face. She slowly approached Piplup. She she drew closer, she could feel her heart pounding. She imagined herself and this Piplup, going out into the great unknown together. Becoming league champions, making a mark on the world somehow. Makani had wanted a Pokemon for so long, and now that she was finally going to obtain one, her emotions were running wild. Excitement, Joy, Nervousness… Fear… What if she messed up somehow…? Shaking her head, Makani pushed those thoughts to the back of her head. This was a special day, there was no room for negativity today.

Piplup turned to look at her. Their eyes met. Despite being a water type, Makani could see a fire burning in this Pokemon's eyes. Taking a deep breath, Makani bent down so that she was eye level with the Penguin Pokemon. "H-hey there…" She started, twirling a lock of her hair nervously. "My name is Makani… And I think you have a lot of potential to become big and strong and a wonderful partner! I'd be honoured if you'd… If you'd be my first Pokemon!"

Having lived in Alola for a few years before moving to Farod, Makani had been raised on an Alolan tradition that you had to allow your partner Pokemon to choose you as well. It was believed that if both human and Pokemon chose each other, their bond would be much stronger, and as a result, would become more powerful together. This was a big deal in her family, seeing as her older cousin, Maria, and her partner Decidueye, completed the entire island trial within a few months, and even partook in the first Alolan Pokemon League. They never had a single argument, and they seemed to be in perfect sync with one another. Makani aspired to be that cool one day… She wanted to make her cousin proud. And she wanted a bond with her partner that was just as strong, if not stronger.

For a moment, it felt like they were in their own bubble. The conversation and excited chatter of the other new trainers droned on in the background, but it was all gibberish. Makani and Piplup stared at each other, neither one faltering. Makani's breath hitched, it felt like they had just been staring at each other for what felt like hours. But suddenly, she snapped back to reality. There were eyes on her. All the other trainers who had reserved a Pokemon had picked their partners, and now everyone was just waiting on her. There were a few impatient coughs in the crowd, and some of the new trainers in the front of the group had looks of irritation on their faces.

Suddenly feeling anxious, Makani figured it was a lost cause, and she should just pick something else. She began standing up…

But was suddenly knocked over by Piplup, who had flung itself into her arms, chirping happily!

Makani couldn't believe it. Piplup had actually chosen her! Quickly scrambling to her feet, she held Piplup up so it was face-level with her. A goofy grin spread across her face. "Piplup, you and I are gonna be great friends, I promise! We're going to win the Pokemon League one day!"

"Pip pip!" Piplup cheered back. Makani held it close to her chest, and trainer and partner hugged. The young girl could feel it… Their hearts had somehow connected. There was no going back now, and Makani had absolutely no regrets. This Piplup would be her most cherished partner, through victory and loss, through good times and bad times, through thick and thin. They would be champions.

The group of trainers who had reserved Pokemon began leaving the stage, and the remaining trainers came up and began to choose their partners. Makani escaped the crowd, still holding Piplup close to her chest, and began looking around for Matty. She spotted him over by a cafe, waving at her. His Cyndaquil was perched on his shoulder.

"Hey 'Kani! Over here!"

Makani darted towards him, smiling from ear to ear. "Can you believe this Matty?!" She squealed. "We finally have our starter Pokemon!"

Matty nodded, pulling Cyndaquil into his arms. The two friends were silent for a moment, letting everything settle in. To them both, it felt surreal. They were finally holding their very own Pokemon. Soon, they'd be leaving their home town and going on a journey. Receiving their starters was like a rite of passage. They were now free to head out into the big wide world if they so wished, and they could barely contain their excitement.

Makani and Matty soon settled down, and had taken a seat at one of the outside tables at the cafe. The employees had been serving free drinks, sandwiches and Pokemon food to the new trainers and their Pokemon as a way to congratulate them, and the two were currently just enjoying each others company. Down on the ground next to them their pokemon were scarfing down their meals.

Matty took a sip of his orange juice, before looking down at his Cyndaquil. "Y'know, Makani… We should totally give our partners nicknames!"

Makani looked up at him from her sandwich, and with her mouth still full, she responded, "Oh yeah, we should!" She quickly swallowed, looking down at Piplup. "My cousin Maria told me that trainers that give their Pokemon nicknames tend to be closer to them!"

Matty pushed his glasses back up onto his face, as they had been slipping. He reached down, gently petting his Cyndaquil. It's fur was surprisingly prickly, but he had grown used to it. "How about it, buddy?"

Cyndaquil looked up, tilting its head to the side, a surprised look on its face. "Quil…?"

Matt beamed, lifting it up off the ground. "How would you like a nickname, one all your own?"

This seemed to catch the fire mouse's attention, as it began waving its arms around enthusiastically. Matt chuckled. "I'm going to take that as a yes, then!"

Placing Cyndaquil back on the ground, Matty placed a hand on his chin and stared deep into his orange juice, lost in his mind. Makani stared at him for a moment, before looking back to Piplup, who was still stuffing its face. She ran some ideas through her head, wondering what she should name her partner. Her Piplup acted very prideful… Piplup's final evolution was Empoleon, right?

Makani's eyes widened and an ecstatic expression crossed her face. She had two ideas, but first, she had to ask Piplup something…

Piplup turned to look at Makani after its new trainer had tapped it on the shoulder. "Pip? Piplup..?"

"Hey buddy, I have a question to ask you. I have an idea for a nickname for you but first I have to be sure of something."

Piplup gazed at Makani, a confused look in its eyes. "Piplup?"

"Are you a male? Or female? Shake your head if your a boy, nod if you're a girl.

Piplup nodded.

"So you're a female?"

Piplup nodded once more.

Makani's grin grew even wider. She stood up from her chair, bending down to look at Piplup. "How do you like the name, Empress?"

Piplups beak opened in shock. A nickname? For her? She ran the name through her head. Empress. Empress. Empress…

Makani made a squeaking noise in shock as Piplup flung herself at her again, chirping joyfully. Makani pet her head, her heart soaring. "So I'm guessing you like it?"

Empress nodded in response, puffing out her chest like she did earlier. Empress… It sounded powerful. Powerful like she'd one day be. A force to be reckoned with.

Makani clapped, elated. "Wonderful! From this day forward, your name is Empress!"

Matty watched them, mouth slightly opened. That was quick… He looked down at Cyndaquil, who was looking at him expectantly. Cyndaquil was a fire type… Maybe something related to volcanoes would fit? Snapping his fingers, Matty picked up his Cyndaquil. "What do you think of the name, Vulcan?"

Vulcan nodded his approval. "Cyn, Cynda!"

"Then Vulcan it is!"

Makani and Matty looked at one another. They had only had their partners for about an hour, but they already felt inseparable.

The sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention, and they turned their heads… Only to find professor Begonia standing in front of them! She had a pleased smile on her face. Putting her hands into her pockets, the professor examined the Pokemon. "Those are some lovely names you've chosen for them. I'm certain now, they're in good hands!"

Makani was at a loss for words. "P-professor? What are you doing here?"

"Well, now that mostly everything has calmed down, my assistants and I are going around to all the new trainers asking them to meet me at the lab next week."

Matty and Makani exchanged a confused stare, before turning back to the professor. Matty ran his fingers through Vulcans fur, before asking, "Why?"

Begonia crossed her arms. "So we can properly register everyone as Pokemon trainers of course! You may have Pokemon now, but nothing's official until the paperwork is done. You won't be able to sign up for the league tournament without the documents."

Matty groaned. "Paperwork? Isn't there any job in the world that doesn't involve paperwork?!"

"Afraid not, child." Begonia mused. Her partner Maractus, Mara, approached Empress and Vulcan, and the three began a small little conversation of their own.

"Anyway, stop by the lab on Tuesday next week. We'll get you two properly registered, give you your pokedexes, and then you'll be free to go!"

"Wait… Pokedexes?" Makani asked, suddenly standing up. A Pokedex was a super important piece of equipment… To be entrusted with one was a huge deal! Begonia grinned. She liked this child's enthusiasm.

"Yes dearie, a Pokedex! We got a large shipment of them, and we're distributing them to all the new trainers! It's an easy way to obtain information on many different Pokemon. All data recorded in the Pokedex, will instantly be added to the databases back at the lab. Quite efficent, huh?"

"That's amazing!" Matty exclaimed. "I can't believe this… I'm gonna be getting a Pokedex! Ohhhh man, I've wanted one of those forever!"

Being a massive nerd, Matty loved all things technological. Since he first heard about them, he had been absolutely obsessed with them. The world's single largest Pokemon encyclopedia… A device that recorded all your captures and accomplishments… Matty was on cloud nine alright!

The boy was drooling, staring into space with a blank expression on his face.

"Is… Is he alright?" Begonia asked Makani, a concerned look on her face. Makani nodded, smacking Matty in the face. Which snapped him out of his daze, and sent him tumbling to the ground.

"He does that a lot, Mrs."

"The zoning out or the getting smacked?"

"Hm." Makani hummed. "Both. Falling over is also common. He'll be fine. He's always fine."

Matty groaned from where he was on the ground. Vulcan nuzzled his face in concern. Mara and Empress looked incredibly unimpressed, and after bidding farewell to Empress, Mara returned to her trainers side, tugging on her lab coat. Begonia rubbed the side of her head.

"Right right, I know Mara." She smiled at Makani. "Well, I trust you and your… Friend there… To take good care of your partners. The fact that you've already given them nicknames and bonded with them is a clear sign that you're going to go a long way together."

Empress climbed up onto Makani's shoulder, and the young girl looked at her partner with a clear fondness. "Thanks professor."

She looked back at Begonia, clenching her fists. "We're going to do our absolute best, so don't worry!"

"I know you will. I'll see you next week!"

With that, professor Begonia left, Mara following close behind. Makani decided that she liked the professor. She was nice and outgoing, she kind of reminded her of her mother. Her partner Pokemon was also very sweet. She was an old Pokemon, but still appeared to be going strong. From what she knew about the professor, she was very close with that Maractus. Apparently she had been her best friend since childhood. Mara was Begonia's most cherished friend.

Speaking of cherished friends, Makani figured she should probably help Matty of the ground. Once he was on his feet again, he dusted himself off, running a hand through his now dirtied redish-orange hair. If looks could kill, Makani knew she'd be dead. Maybe this time, the fall had upset him. Oops.

Matty growled, pointing a finger at her. "You! I've fallen on the germ-tainted ground TWICE today because of you!"

"Well to be fair, the first time was a race." Makani retorted. "You could've just… Slowed down, y'know?" She put her hands behind her head. Whistling. Empress made a little noise that sounded like a laugh.

"Cyn, Cynda!" Vulcan yapped, running in front of his trainer.

Matty blinked. And something in his brain clicked. "Hey Makani!"

Makani narrowed her eyes at him, sticking out her tongue. "What?"

Grinning, Matty called Vulcan to his side. He pulled out Vulcan's Pokeball, and held it out. Makani was confused by this, but she very quickly understood. Empress seemed to understand the gesture too, and knowing what was coming next, she lept off her trainer's shoulder, taking a fighting stance. Vulcan responded by blowing smoke out of his nostrils.

Matty pushed his glasses back up onto his face, they had began to slip again.

"Makani Skylar, as your best friend and first rival, I challenge you to a battle! Loser has to water old man Larry's plants until Tuesday next week!"

* * *

**Author's Note - **

_**Hooooo boy, my nerves are racking me silly! I'm no stranger to writing, but this is my first time publishing something for the whole world to see! Nonetheless, I'm excited to finally be working on this! I've had the idea in my mind for a while, but was always too busy with school to do anything with it. Now that things have begun to calm down, can finally make headway on this project! **_

_**Reviews and Criticism are highly appreciated!**_


	2. First Fight

**Chapter Two**** \- First Fight**

A battle? Already? Makani thought, as she watched Empress and Vulcan eye each other down. The two Pokemon circled one another, Vulcan lightly billowing smoke out of his nostrils, and Empress puffing out her chest and glaring down at the fire mouse. She couldn't lie - they both looked pumped for a fight. Looking over at Matty, Makani saw him staring at her, hands in the front pockets of his coat.

"Well?" Matty impatiently asked. "You up for it? Or are you gonna back out?"

Makani shook her head, smiling softly. "Back out…? Not on your life! Empress, to my side, please."

Empress spat at the ground next to Vulcan, before moving over so she was standing next to her trainer. Vulcan growled and padded back over to Matty. Makani couldn't lie, Matty and Vulcan looked fired up, no pun intended. When it settled in her mind that this would be her first battle ever, she was suddenly overtaken by a desire to win. This would be the fight that determined who had the first upper hand in their newly sparked rivalry. Makani took a deep breath, steeling her nerves. Reaching into one of her pockets, she pulled out a piece of paper that had come with Empress's pokeball. It was a list of the moves she was currently able to use. Matty pulled out a similar piece of paper, quickly reading it over. He then folded it back up, placing it back in his pocket. Vulcan and Empress continued to growl at each other. It was clear that the two had some kind of rivalry of their own arising.

"So…" Makani coughed into her arm. "Who's going first?"

Matty blinked, before crossing his arms and staring at the ground. Makani hummed in thought, before suggesting, "I'll get you go first, Matty. Since Vulcan has the type disadvantage."

Matty's face twisted. "'Kani, have you learned nothing from watching league battles on TV? Type advantages don't always matter." Makani closed her mouth, unsure of what to say. Matty continued. "I will, however, take you up on your offer to move first. Since I lost a race and fell flat on my face twice today, I say it's only fair."

Makani chuckled, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "If you say so…"

Matty grinned. He began lightly hopping from side to side like a Hitmonchan would when in a fighting ring. "Then let's get this show on the road already! Vulcan, use tackle!"

Vulcan breathed more smoke out of his nose, ecstatic to finally be fighting. The flames on his back igniting, he backed up a little, before charging at Empress. The Penguin Pokemon turned to Makani, waiting for her order.

Makani gulped. Her first ever battle had just begun. Even though she was determined to win… She suddenly felt very tense. Is this how trainers feel when in a battle? She realized Matty had called out the first move, and when she saw Vulcan charging at Empress, she gulped, before waving a hand.

"Empress, dodge! Then use bubble!"

Just asw Vulcan was about to strike, Empress sidestepped. Her beak opened, and a stream of bubbles poured out, hitting Vulcan and sending him flying back towards Matty.

"Vulcan!" Matty cried. "You alright?"

Vulcan shakily stood up, before nodding affirmatively. The two trainers met eyes. There was an air of tension around them, but they both wanted to win. The excitement of battle had begun to take over. A small crowd had gathered around them, watching the battle. It was no championship match, but it was always interesting to watch new trainers command their partners, just to see how well they do. Suddenly, some of them began to cheer. Some were cheering for Vulcan, while others were cheering on Empress. Makani and Matty smiled a little. They had never had anyone cheering for them before, and it just made their determination even stronger.

"Alright Vulcan, let's sprinkle some strategy in here! Use smokescreen!" Matty shouted, fist pumping the air. Makani watched in awe as Vulcan reared up on his hind legs, inhaling deeply, before blowing smoke out of his nostrils in excessive amounts. She covered her mouth with an arm, coughing a little. She looked around… Suddenly it was very hard to see. She could vaguely make out the shape of Empress standing in front of her, but Vulcan was nowhere to be seen.

"Listen closely, Empress!" Makani shouted to the little penguin. "We don't know where he'll come from!"

Empress looked around frantically. Where had that Cyndaquil vanished to?!

Suddenly, Matty's voice resounded through the smoke. "Vulcan, tackle!"

"Empress, look out!" Makani shouted as the shape of Vulcan suddenly appeared in the smoke, charging at Empress. Empress quickly snapped to attention and tried to dodge, but Vulcan was faster, and he slammed into her, sending the Piplup skidding across the ground. Vulcan retreated back into the smoke, and Makani's heart raced as Empress slowly pushed herself back up.

"You okay?" Makani asked, worried. Empress glanced back at her trainer, and nodded.

"Pip! Piplup!" She cried. Makani couldn't understand what she was trying to say, but it seemed as if she were gesturing to the smoke around them, and then she made a flapping motion with her flippers. Makani suddenly understood.

"Oh! You're saying we need to find a way to get rid of the smoke!"

That appeared to be right on the money, as Empress nodded her head. Makani began to think. How could they remove the smoke…? She remembered the flapping motion Empress had made. Maybe they could blow the smoke away…

"Vulcan, hit them again, tackle!" Matty yelled. Makani shook her head. Not this time!

"Empress, jump up in the air! Then flap your flippers, try to blow the smoke away!"

Empress was ready this time, and after a few hops to prepare, she leapt up high in the air, just as Vulcan had come charging through the smoke. He missed her by just a few inches, and he looked up, watching as the Piplup began to flap her flippers. At first, it didn't appear to be working… But then the smoke slowly started to move back! Makani let out a little cheer.

"Wahoo! Brilliant job, Empress!"

Makani could now clearly see Vulcan and Matty. Matty stood there, his mouth hanging slightly ajar. Then he laughed.

"Wow! Nice one 'Kani! Gonna be real, I didn't expect you to do that!"

Makani grinned ear to ear. Empress landed on the ground again, puffing out her chest. The small crowd around them cheered. This was proving to be pretty exciting for a first battle…

"Alright, let's try something else, then!" Matty looked at his Cyndaquil. "Alright Vulcan… Use leer."

Vulcan's head swiveled to face Empress. Then he glared, a menacing, white glow appearing around his eyes. Empress faltered, while Makani tried to remember what Leer did. Suddenly it clicked.

"Empress, prepare to dodge! Your defense has been lowered, don't let yourself get hit!"

"Vulcan, tackle! Full power!" Matty cheered. Vulcan began charging at Empress, who was still rooted to the spot. Makani jumped up and down impatiently.

"Come on Empress! Snap out of it!" She shouted. Empress heard her, and shook her head. But she was too late to dodge, and Vulcan slammed into her stomach at full force, sending her flying back. Makani let out a shriek of worry as her partner hit the ground. Empress struggled to get back up, there was a bruise forming where Vulcan had hit her.

"Empress! Can you still fight?" Makani asked, desperation on her face. Empress finally stood back up.

"Pip! Piplup, pip!" Empress barked back. Makani saw the same fire in her eyes that she had seen earlier. She sighed in relief, wiping some sweat from her forehead. Great Arceus above, this was intense!

"Alright Vulcan, let's finish this! Use Tackle, one more time!" Matty ordered. Vulcan let out a loud battle cry, before charging forward. Makani took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"Empress, listen closely. We can still win this!" Makani shouted. "When I tell you to, jump up in the air and use bubble, straight down!"

Empress nodded, watching in anticipation as Vulcan approached. Makani counted in her head. 1. 2. 3. 4…

"NOW!" 'Kani bellowed. Empress sprung up into the air, shooting a stream of bubbles directly below her.

"Vulcan, dodge to the side and then use smokescreen!"

Makani froze. Time seemed to slow down as Vulcan swiftly moved to the side, releasing another round of smoke. Empress was falling. She and Vulcan vanished within the smoke. She heard Matty shout something, but she couldn't tell what it was he said. She heard a loud thud, that brought her back to reality. The smoke cleared. Vulcan was standing in front of Matty, and Empress lay on the ground, swirls in her eyes.

'Kani blinked. Matty and Vulcan cheered, and the crowd around them clapped. She was stunned silent. Matty and Vulcan… They were in perfect sync. Matty's reaction timing was incredible, and he had only received Vulcan over an hour ago. Makani walked over to her fainted partner, gently lifting her into her arms. Empress's eyes cracked open, and she made a sad chirping noise. Makani shook her head.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up, Empress… You did your best, and I'm so, so proud of you. That was amazing for your first battle." Makani pet Empress on her head, softy running her hand through her feathers. Empress looked at the ground, smiling softly. The praise from her trainer had somewhat comforted her. Makani asked Empress if she'd like to rest in her pokeball, but she denied, instead climbing up onto her trainers shoulder and promptly falling asleep.

Makani sighed as Matty walked over, holding Vulcan in his arms. Matty smiled, holding out a hand.

"Hey, that was a great first battle! You and Empress pulled some pretty cool moves."

Makani took his hand, shaking it. She forced herself to smile. "Yeah. And you and Vulcan were something else alright. He's a speedy little fellow, huh?"

Matty chuckled, looking down at Vulcan. "Yeah. Maybe with some special training he could turn that tackle into a quick attack!"

"Oh, I don't doubt it." 'Kani responded, wiping the remaining sweat from her forehead. "Well. A loss is a loss. I'll water old man Larry's plant's until tuesday. Might be for the best, anyway. It'll give Empress some good practice. You and Vulcan would probably burn the whole garden down."

Both trainers started laughing, and Makani momentarily forgot about her loss. Empress had tried her best, but Matty was always the guy who paid attention to strategy. On top of that, Vulcan was fast. Makani would just have to find a way to work around that for the next time they battled. However… Losing her first ever battle did still rattle her up inside a bit. Especially since she had the type advantage. She supposed that Matty was right. Sometimes, a type advantage doesn't matter. It's the strategy that makes the battle.

The crowd had begun to move away, some even congratulated them on a good battle. Matty grabbed Makani by her wrist, dragging her off down the street. As she was dragged off, she met eyes with someone from the crowd… A young trainer, who looked to be quite a bit older than her, and what she assumed was his partner Pokemon. A giant, green reptile-like creature with a leafy tail. A Sceptile, she figured. She should know, one of the Elite four members had one on her team.

Looking away from the boy, Makani turned her attention back to Matty. "Hey Matt!" She shouted over the noise of the busy streets. "Where are we going?"

"To the Pokemon Center!" Matty yelled back. "We should probably go and let our Pokemon rest up, and while we're at it we can call our parents and tell them why we're a bit late getting home!"

Makani couldn't argue with that. That sounded like a good idea… She looked at her watch. 3:37pm. She had left Cape Town almost three hours ago, and had told her parents that she'd be back as soon as she got her Pokemon. She hadn't expected time to go by so quickly. Her parents were probably worried…

Matty dragged Makani towards a large red building with a white pokeball symbol hanging above it. The doors systematically opened, and the two trainers entered a giant lobby area, where other trainers were chatting and exchanging information with one another. The walls of the building were a stunning ivory white, posters hung up here and there. Makani looked around the lobby, trying to see how many Pokemon she could recognize. A Budew. A Grimer. A Mudkip and a Squirtle. Upon closer inspection, the trainers of the latter two Makani recognized as two of the new trainers who were at the Research Center earlier that day. The Squirtle appeared to have gained quite a bit more confidence, and as she passed them, Makani overheard the two trainers discussing traveling plans.

There was a lot of noise in the Pokemon Center, and Makani almost didn't hear her friend talking to her.

"'Kani!" Matty gently jabbed her in the elbow. The young girl shook her head, blinking. They were standing at a reception desk, and standing behind it was a young woman with pink hair and lively blue eyes. She was wearing a pink nurses uniform, and standing behind her was a pink, chubby, egg-shaped Pokemon. A Chansey.

The Nurse did a little curtsey. "Hello children!" She said, rather chipper. "Welcome to the Pokemon Center! We can restore your Pokemon to full health here, completely free of charge!"

Makani smiled a little, gently pulling Empress off her shoulder. The Piplup stirred a little, but remained asleep. She gently placed Empress down on the counter, and twirled a lock of her hair.

"Would you mind healing my Piplup…?" She asked. Nurse Joy nodded. "Of course I don't mind, dearie! This is my job after all!"

Joy turned to look at Matty. "Want me to take a look at your Cyndaquil, too?"

Matty nodded in response, placing Vulcan down on the counter next to the unconscious Empress. Nurse Joy smiled at them. "This shouldn't take too long. Their injuries don't look too bad. I'd say about 20 minutes, tops."

Makani pulled the lock of hair she was twirling back behind her ear. "Thank you very much, miss!"

Matty and Makani then decided that now would be a good time to call their parents. A little nervous, the young girl punched her family's home number into the video calling system. Tapping her foot worriedly, Makani waited for someone to pick up. Soon, her mother appeared on the screen. Her earthly brown eyes were clouded with worry.

"Makani, dear!" She shouted. Some of the other trainers in the room glanced over at her, and 'Kani tugged her hoodie collar a little bit in embarrassment. Her mother continued.

"Where have you been! It's been almost four hours, surely picking up your Pokemon shouldn't have taken that long?"

"Well…" Makani started. She began recounting the events. Having lunch with Matty, nicknaming their Pokemon, and finally, the battle. Explaining what happened during the battle, Makani looked a tad bit disappointed. She and Empress were nowhere near as coordinated as Matty and Vulcan were. Maybe she should've paid more attention to the strategies those hot-shot league people used…

"Sounds like you've had quite the day." Her mom murmured. "So you're currently at the Pokemon Center?"

"Yes, mom." Makani confirmed. "Empress should be back to full health soon, and then Matty and I will make our way back home."

Her mother let out a long, weary sigh. "Alright dearie. Dinner should be ready by the time you get home." She smiled. "I can't wait to meet your partner Pokemon."

* * *

Matty and Makani parted ways at the entrance to their hometown. Cape Town was a nice little seaside town, with a marketplace and colorful banners hung up everywhere. Just outside the town was a sprawling beach. It was a popular place, because watching the sunset upon that beach is said to be one of the most beautiful things one can view.

As she walked back towards her house, Empress sleeping soundly in her arms, Makani replayed the day's events in her head. She made a mental note to start thinking of a strategy to overcome Matty's quick timing and precision. It wouldn't be easy but… She groaned. Maybe diving straight into a battle after only just receiving her Pokemon was a bad idea. Looking down at her sleeping Piplup, Makani shook those conflicting thoughts out of her head. This was a happy day. She smiled softly. Yeah. Yeah, today was a happy day. She had received her partner Pokemon, her new best-friend for life. She was sleeping soundly in her arms. And although she had botched her first battle… Makani finally realized. She had fun. Her smile grew wider, and a little skip appeared in her step.

She finally came to her street. She lightly tapped Empress on the head. The Piplup woke up, groggily rubbing her eyes.

"Pip?" She tilted her head. Makani placed her up on her shoulder. "We're home, Empress."

Empress looked around the empty street, mesmerized by the soft lights coming from within the houses. It was dead quiet, as it had taken the trainers quite a while to walk back home. It was almost completely dark out, the last traces of sunlight quickly vanishing over the horizon. Makani's house wasn't anything too special. It was made of dark oak wood, two stories tall, with decorative plants hung up all over it. On the front porch, a large purple cat-like Pokemon was sleeping. It had a Yellow underbelly with yellow spots covering it. This was Mally, Makani's mother's Liepard.

As she walked up the stairs towards the door, Mally cracked open one eye, staring at Empress. Empress stared back. Slowly, Mally rose to her feet, padding over. She sniffed Empress, curiously.

"Llliiieee?" She purred. Makani pet her on the head, scritching behind her ears. "Hello, Mally! Holding down the fort alright, girl?"

Mally purred louder in response, before stalking back over to her bundle of blankets on the front porch. There was a loud creak as the front door opened, and Makani's mother's head poked out. Her face lit up upon seeing her daughter, and she flung the door completely open, running over and embracing Makani in a tight hug.

"You're finally home!" She cried. She grabbed Makani's face with one hand, looking her in the eyes. "Thank goodness, I was getting worried!"

Makani looked at the ground, a frown on her face. "Yeah… Sorry for the late return. That battle lasted longer than I thought it would. I didn't mean to worry you…"

Her mom shook her head, relaxing. "No no, it's fine, dearie." She smiled wearily. "You are a trainer now, after all… And now that you've got a Pokemon, you should be able to take care of yourself. And speaking of your Pokemon…"

She turned to look at Empress. Her mom reacher out, tenderly petting the Piplup on the head. "This must be Empress." She cooed. "She's absolutely adorable, dear."

Makani grinned, pleased that her mother approved her choice. She knew that her mom would approve, no matter what, put she always was drawn towards the more popular and cute ones. Piplup fit both those categories, but Makani didn't choose Empress because of that. She chose her because of her sheer spirit and personality.

"Thanks, mom." She replied. Empress had crawled down into her arms again, and Makani absentmindedly began rubbing her head. "But I'm hungry from all the walking… And I'm tired. Empress is probably hungry, too."

Her mother nodded in understanding. "Of course. It's been a long day for the both of you. Let's go get some food in you."

They entered the house, shutting and locking the door behind them. THey were now standing in a small but cozy corridor. Photos and drawings of different people and pokemon hung from the walls. The walls themselves were a dull but warm yellow color. Like an old, worn-out piece of paper. Makani followed her mother down the corridor towards the kitchen.

"Your dad stopped by, earlier. He picked up some pokemon food for Empress, but he had to go back to work. He'll be back early tomorrow though, so don't worry." Makani's mom suddenly said, turning back to look at her child. Makani smiled a little. Her dad was a kind, hardworking man. He worked in the police force, and was out most of the time, seeing as he was a high rank. That didn't mean that he doesn't make time for his family, of course.

Dinner went by quite quickly. A bowl of soup with some freshly baked bread to dip in it. Empress was chowing down on the floor beside her. The Pokemon food that her father had bought was some kind of high-quality brand, and Empress seemed to be enjoying every single bite. Dinner also went by without much conversation, Makani having explained most of the days events to her mother back at the Pokemon Center. Besides, she was tired. And Makani doesn't do well in conversations when she's tired. After dinner, she helped her mom with the dishes, hugged her goodnight, and then did her nightly routine. Brushing her teeth, and putting on her light blue pajamas with little Horseas on them.

Flopping down on her bed, she sighed in relief. Her feet were killing her from all the walking she did that day, and she was utterly exhausted. Empress was lying down next to her, already out like a light. Makani pulled her navy blue quilt over both of them, getting comfortable. She wrapped an arm around Empress, pulling her to her chest. Turning off her night light, Makani closed her eyes, and let the sweet embrace of sleep claim her.

She slipped into nothingness, with a smile on her face.

* * *

A young boy walked into the Pokemon Research lab, his trusty Sceptile close behind him. He whistled, hands in his pockets as he approached the Professor, who was deep in her paperwork. After she noticed the boy, Begonia looked up, a surprised look on her face.

"Oh, Oliver! Back so soon?" She inquired. Mara, Begonia's Maractus, entered the room carrying a tray with tea on it. Upon noticing the towering Sceptile, the little cactus waved an arm in greeting. Sceptile waved back in response, grunting.

The boy, Oliver, smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. Errands got done quicker than anticipated." He pulled up a chair, sitting across the room from Begonia. "I do thank you for lending me your Staraptor, though. Windrider is fast, but nothing beats the speed of your Sally."

Begonia chuckled, shuffling her finished paperwork into a neat little pile. "Still, even with Sally's speed, I didn't think you'd finish the tasks so quickly. You have to be one of the best assistants I've ever had, young man."

"Aw gee, professor…" Oliver blushed lightly in embarrassment. "I really couldn't have done it without my team. They were a huge help."

Oliver scratched the side of his head. "So… You handed out the starters today?"

"Mhm." Begonia hummed in confirmation. "All the Pokemon went to some pretty promising trainers." Oliver opened his mouth, ready to say something. Begonia looked as if she knew what he was going to say, and quickly beat him to it. "Don't worry. Jay received their starter with no complications."

Sighing in relief, Oliver relaxed in his chair. "That's good. I was worried they would be late."

"Well they weren't. If anything, they were early!" Begonia chuckled. "And it appears as if they're going to follow in your footsteps. I checked up on them after the ceremony, and they seem to be getting along just fine with their Treecko."

Oliver grinned, looking up at his Sceptile. "Well, whaddya know! Looks like the little guy's taking after us, Lucky!"

The Sceptile, Lucky, made some kind of laughing noise. Begonia then looked at Oliver, placing her hands in her lap.

"So, Oliver. What brings you here at this time of night? Surely you'd wait until morning to tell me you've returned? It's almost closing time for Arceus's sake!"

"Well, you see Professor. I was gonna wait 'till morning." He stood up, pacing. "But I witnessed one heck of a battle today! And the two trainers battling… I'm certain that they were new!"

"Oh…?" Begonia's interest peaked. "What Pokemon were they using, if I may ask?"

"There was a young girl with a Piplup, and a young boy with a Cyndaquil." Oliver shook his head. "And let me tell you, they were going at it, alright! The young man had a grasp on how to use strategy and he and his Cyndaquil were in perfect sync! The girl was a bit slow with her Piplup… But they performed amazingly as well. She figured out how to remove a smokescreen without use of a move! They also both seemed to care for their partners a lot…"

"Ah. I believe those two would've been young Makani Skylar and Matty Wilson." Begonia grinned. "They must've battled after I left… Darnit! Maybe I should've stuck around longer. Would've loved to see that battle for myself."

"They have a lot of potential, Professor." Oliver leaned against a wall, tapping his foot. "Not gonna lie, they remind me of some old friends of mine, ahah."

Begonia fidgeted with a pen, clicking it on and off slowly. "Hmm. You think they might be able to help with our... issue?"

"Perhaps. It's still too early to tell." The young boy closed his eyes, deep in thought. "Besides. An old acquaintance of mine from Jhoto just returned to me. I feel that he will be of great assistance to us."

The Professor nodded. "Alright, then. We won't involve them. Not until they're stronger. And smarter."

Oliver nodded back, in agreement. "Yeah. Besides, they're young. We shouldn't involve them unless they somehow get dragged into it by force. They should be allowed to enjoy their journey without any burdens."

"I agree." Begonia sighed, standing up. "Well, anyway, we should keep an eye on them. But now, It's closing time. I'm tired, Mara's tired, you and Lucky are probably tired, we can discuss this in more detail in the morning. Then… You can introduce me to your old friend."

Oliver grinned. He unclipped a black and yellow Pokeball from his belt, handing it back to the Professor. "You might want to take Sally back."

"Oh!" Begonia laughed. She placed the ball in one of her labcoats pockets. "Thank you. I'm going to make sure she gets an extra large portion of pokemon food tonight."

"You better!" Oliver responded, walking over to the exit. Lucky lumbered close behind him "She worked herself down to the bone today!"

Oliver waved a farewell to Begonia, before finally walking out of the Research Lab, stretching and letting out a loud yawn. He looked up at Lucky, a cheeky grin on his face.

"So, pal. What do you say we go meet up with our old buddy? He came all this way for us, the least we can do is give him a proper welcome back to the team."

Knowing all too well about who his trainer was talking about, Lucky nodded. It had been a long time since they had seen this friend in question. It would be good seeing him again.

Especially since he could help them a whole lot with their current… Issue.

The boy and his Sceptile walked off into the woods surrounding Foundation City, down towards an old, ancient area that very select few were granted access to. As they left, the lights in the Research Lab shut off, and all was silent at last.


	3. Setting out and Splitting Paths

**Chapter Three - Setting Out and Splitting Paths**

The week went by excruciatingly slow. Makani upheld her promise, and she and Empress tended to old man Larry's plants for the whole week, and to be honest, that really helped pass some time. Empress's bubble was getting stronger, and over the course of the first few days together, Makani and Empress had become totally inseparable.

Makani had also noticed that many of the adults and younger children in the town had started treating her and Matty with more respect. Probably because they had a Pokemon now, which she guessed was considered a sign of maturity. Heck, even old man Larry wasn't shouting at her for every single little mistake she made.

It was now Tuesday morning, and Makani was making final preparations for her upcoming journey. She was currently double-checking that she had everything. Spare clothes, money, pokeballs, pokemon food, food for herself, medicine, camping equipment… smiling to herself, the young girl zipped up her lavender backpack and put it on. It was quite heavy, but Makani figured she'd get used to it over time. She adjusted her silver leather belt. Currently, only one pokeball was clipped onto it, that being Empress's pokeball. The Piplup in question was currently standing in front of Makani's mirror, her chest puffed out and a prideful look on her face. Makani joined her partner in front of the mirror, staring at herself for a long while.

It was a strange feeling. She was about to embark on a pokemon journey, something she'd been looking forward to her entire life. She had a pokemon by her side, and it suddenly felt as if nothing could stand in her way. She picked Empress up off the ground, holding her in her arms.

"So girl, you ready for our grand adventure?"

"Pip, piplup pip!" Empress chirped in anticipation. It seemed as if she shared Makani's excitement and eagerness. Makani heard the sound of the front door opening downstairs, and a few moments later her mother called.

"Makani! Your father is here to see you off!"

Taking one last look around her bedroom for what would possibly be months, Makani ran out, practically flinging herself down the stairs. Entering the corridor, she saw her mother engaged in conversation with a tall man wearing a navy blue police uniform. Makani got most of her looks from her father. She had his light brown skin, his dark brunette hair, even his eyes. Makani ran forward, tackling her father in a hug.

"Hi dad!" She squealed.

"Ah, there's my little adventurer!" Her father let out a hearty chuckle, ruffling her hair. "You ready to go out into the great big world?"

"Mhm!" Makani responded, barely containing her excitement. "I've double-checked to make sure I have everything, I even packed extra medicine, just in case!"

"That's my girl, always expecting the worst." Her mother sighed. Makani placed her hands on her hips, giving her mom an accusatory look.

"What's that supposed to mean, mom? You never know what could happen out there, I just want to be prepared!"

"I know dear, I know. I was just pulling your leg." Her mom playfully and gently nudged her in the elbow. "I'm proud of you for being so responsible."

Her parents wrapped Makani in a warm, welcoming embrace. The young girl realized that this would probably be the last time she'd see her parents in person for quite a while… It made everything feel kind of bittersweet.

"Thanks for coming to see me off, dad. I know asking for time off work is… Not easy."

"Aw. Anything for my little angel." Her dad pulled her close, ruffling her hair again. "I wouldn't miss seeing you off on your journey even if the world were ending."

"You best be on your way, dear." Her mother choked. She had begun tearing up a little, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "You don't want to keep the professor waiting."

"Mom, dad…" Makani hadn't noticed, but she too, had begun tearing up. "I-I'm gonna miss you… I promise to keep in touch!"

The family embraced one more time. Mally the Liepard rubbed up against their legs, purring sadly. Finally, Makani stepped outside. It was a perfect day, the sun was shining bright and there were almost no clouds in the sky. With Empress on her shoulder, Makani turned back, waving a final farewell to her parents. They were standing in the doorway, arms wrapped around each other. They gave her an encouraging smile, waving back. Taking a deep breath, Makani stepped off the porch, wiping her eyes. As she began walking to the town gate, she got waves and farewells shouted at her from many different people. She realized that she was going to miss sleepy little Cape Town. Once she stepped out of the boundaries, she likely wouldn't return for many months.

Matty was waiting for her at the gate, Vulcan sitting at his feet. As Makani approached, Matty gave her a winning grin. But Makani could tell- he was nervous, too. Empress jumped off her shoulder, waddling over to Vulcan. The two pokemon still had a fierce rivalry burning, and they didn't seem to get along with each other that well… They were already bickering back and forth in poke-speech.

"Sooooooo, 'Kani…" Matty rubbed the back of his head, looking out into the distance. "Ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." The young girl responded, flashing a smile back. The two friends turned away from the town, stepping through the gates. Their pokemon ran after them, still yapping at one another.

* * *

Foundation City was about a two hours walk away from Cape Town, and the path leading there was fairly straightforward. Flowers and shrubbery lined the dirt road, and Makani and Matty even spotted some pokemon fluttering about. Combee, Cutiefly, they even saw some Kakuna hanging from some trees. Knowing the dangers of Beedrill, they got out of there pretty quickly. At one point they weren't exactly watching where they were going, and Matty ended up tripping over a Metapod that had crawled out onto the path. He landed flat on his face, and started yelling at the Metapod, which honestly didn't seem to care. It just crawled away into the bushes, Matty still yelling obscenities at it.

Eventually, the looming city appeared in the distance. Foundation City got its name from the fact that it was the first city built after a tragedy that left the region in ruins, many, many centuries ago. It was also completely eco-friendly, being powered solely by solar light and energy from electric-type pokemon. Once the city had come into view, Matty began making a mad sprint. Of course, this just ended in him tripping over again. He slowly pushed himself back up, and they began pacing themselves, Matty mumbling angrily under his breath. Makani knew he'd be fine, though. He always was.

The Pokemon Research and Rehabilitation Center was a hub of activity that day. Assistants and researching running around all over the place, pokemon scuttling back and forth. The loud beeping of machinery could even be heard from outside. Exchanging glances, Makani and Matty slowly reached out and knocked on the door together. They were left waiting for quite a while, and Makani reached out to knock again, only for the door to quickly fling open. Professor Begonia stood before them, looking not much different from when they first met her a week prior. She grinned at them, her face lighting up.

"Ah, Makani Skylar and Matthew Wilson! We've been expecting you! Please, come in."

Begonia lead them down a long corridor. There were excited chatters echoing all throughout the lab. Begonia began speaking to them as they walked, enthusiasm in her voice.

"You two arrived a bit later than the other children… Most of them have already left! But don't worry, we've kept your Pokedexes safe and secure. You still have plenty of time to catch up."

She led the children into a large room, full of technological equipment and tools. A group of Magnemite were hanging out in one corner of the room, seemingly eating electricity from a giant battery. A Magneton and Magnezone were hooked up to two different machines, helping to power it. Mara the Maractus was sleeping on a small bed meant for Pokemon over in another corner of the room, snoring quietly. Begonia led Makani and Matty over to a white table, where 5 small red devices were placed. The professor picked up two of them, before turning back to the trainers.

"Ahem!" Begonia cleared her throat, before holding out the devices for Makani and Matty to take. "Your Pokedexes!"

Matty took his Pokedex with shaking hands, sparkles in his eyes. He appeared to be lost in a world of his own, running his fingers over the smooth metal. Makani took her Pokedex, looking it over. The red used for the coating was a nice, dark tone. Easy on the eyes, unlike the first model created, which was an absolute eyesore. The Research Center's insignia was carved into the metal on the top- right hand side. A light silver pokeball symbol took up the center. The professor then explained to them how it worked. The silver pokeball symbol brought up the scanner, which a trainer could use to scan a pokemon and receive data on them. Begonia told Makani to test the scanner out on Empress.

Placing Empress up on the table, Makani lifted up her pokedex, and tapped the pokeball symbol. A blue light scanned empress, and a holographic screen popped up with the image of a Piplup on it. A robotic voice read out,

"_Piplup, the Penguin Pokemon. __It lives along shores in northern countries. A skilled swimmer, it dives for over 10 minutes to hunt. This Piplup is female, and knows the moves Bubble, Pound and Growl."_

"Wow…" Makani gasped in amazement. The screen vanished, and Empress stood there looking quite stunned. Matty was jumping up and down in eagerness.

"Oh! Oh, I'm gonna try it with Vulcan!"

He turned his scanner to Vulcan, and a holographic screen popped up with an image of a Cyndaquil on it.

"_Cyndaquil, the Fire Mouse Pokemon."_ Matty's Pokedex began. "_Cyndaquil protects itself by flaring up the flames on its back. The flames are vigorous if the Pokémon is angry. However, if it is tired, the flames sputter fitfully with incomplete combustion. This Cyndaquil is Male, and knows the moves Ember, Smokescreen, Leer and Tackle."_

"AMAZING!" Matty shouted, punching the air. "This is so freakin' cool!"

"Well, someone's excited!" Begonia laughed heartily. "But please, do be careful with your Pokedexes. They are a fragile and expensive piece of equipment."

Walking over to another table, Begonia lifted up a folder, and began rummaging through it. She pulled out two small, card-shaped objects, and then returned to the children, grinning.

"And finally, your trainer ID's! These are proof that you two are registered trainers and they'll grant you access to Gyms, Contests, the Pokemon League, and so, so much more! These are even more important than your Pokedexes, so please, don't lose them!"

Makani and Matty took their ID's, looking at them. It contained a picture of them, basic info, birthdays, gender and so-forth. Makani placed her ID in one of her zip-up pockets, that way she's have it on her at all times. She placed her Pokedex in her other pocket, zipping both of them up so nothing would fall out. Matty placed his Pokedex and ID in his shirt pocket, which was covered up by his long rusty-brown coat. The two looked back at the professor, smiling eagerly.

Begonia placed her hands on her hips, looking over them. "Well, I'd say you two look like official trainers to me! All the paperwork is done, you have your Pokedexes and ID's, you're now free to head out into the great unknown!"

Makani could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Finally, it was happening. She was finally an official trainer! She was finally going on her journey and it felt like absolute bliss to the young girl. Empress scampered up into her arms, and Vulcan was now resting on Matty's head. The professor looked out a window, a small smile on her face.

"I still remember when I first set out… I was unsure at first but I quickly learned that as long as you have trust in your friends, you have no need to worry!"

She gently placed a hand on their shoulders, looking at them directly in the eyes. "No matter what happens out there." She began. "Have faith in your partners. They will fight tooth, claw, nail and flipper for you. As long as you try to be the best trainers you can be, they will aim to be the best partners they can be. That goes for all the pokemon you may catch on your journey, too. All Pokemon have the potential to be strong, no matter how small or tall they may be."

Begonia took a few steps back, taking a deep breath. Makani let her words sink in. All Pokemon have potential… She'd keep that in mind. Matty looked like he was still lost in thought. Probably still thinking about his Pokedex. He had a giddy grin on his face and Vulcan was tugging at his hair, trying to get him to pay attention. Makani honestly couldn't blame him... She was excited too.

"Most importantly." Begonia suddenly spoke up after a long moment of silence. She tossed her arms up in the air, and shouted, loud enough to gain the attention of the feasting magnemite, "I want you to have fun!"

"We'll... Um." Makani stammered, trying to get her bearings after that sudden declaration. "We'll certainly try our best, ma'am!"

That seemed to be a good enough answer for the professor, because she just nodded her head, swiping her blonde-highlighted brown hair out of her face. "Right. Well, you two should get a move on, if you want to be on your way before sundown. Besides, I still have three more 'Dexes to hand out. Keep what I said today in mind, it'll take you far."

"Thank you, Mrs." Makani shook the professor's hand. She nudged Matty in the elbow, which finally snapped him out of his trance.

"Oh! Oh yeah, thanks professor!" He too, shook her hand. Vulcan didn't look too happy with how he had zoned out, and proceeded to smack him in the face. Begonia chuckled warmly, before turning the two towards the door.

"Safe travels! If you take the northern exit out of the city, you should come across Foundation Cave and Route One. Beyond there lies Solar City. You'll be able to earn your first badge there!"

"Gotcha. Thanks again. For everything." Makani said, before walking out, Matty trailing close behind her. Once they got outside, they stopped for a moment. Then, Matty started jumping up and down, squealing like a fangirl at a concert.

"I cannot BELIEVE this! It's finally official, we can finally start earning our badges!"

"Yeah. It feels so surreal…" Makani muttered, rubbing her forehead. "Just think… We're probably going to be sleeping under the stars tonight!"

They began walking towards the northern exit of the city.

"Mhm! It's a good thing that school taught us everything we need to know about camping 'n whatnot!" Matty responded.

"I doubt they'd let you graduate from trainers class if you didn't know how to pitch a tent."

There was a moment of silence, before both of them burst out laughing, their Pokemon even joining in. The two friends cracked jokes all the way to the exit, talking about what their plans were and overall, having a good time. Despite how it would seem to many… Makani and Matty wouldn't be traveling together. They figured that if they traveled together, they'd be able to pick up on each others battling style, and that wouldn't make their Pokemon League showdown that fun. And so, they planned to split ways at the gate. Makani would miss having him around, but she knew Matty could take care of himself. Besides, she'd have Empress to talk to. The walk to the exit went by quickly. Way too quickly. Finally, the two trainers found themselves on the northern edge of Foundation City. Silently, they turned around to face one another. Makani held out her hand, a sad smile on her face.

"I'll uh… See you out there then, I suppose."

Matty nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Take care, 'Kani. Next time we meet, we're having a battle!"

"And next time, I'm going to beat you." Makani grinned sheepishly. Matty finally took her hand, and they shook on it. They shook hands for what felt like forever, Makani hesitant to let go. But eventually, the contact broke, and Matty heaved a weary sigh. Turning around, Matty crossed the threshold, and with one final wave of his hand, he took off down the road. The path split in two around a giant oak tree, and Matty went down the right path. Both roads led to Foundation Cave… But different sections of it. Right path led to Eastern Foundation Cave, and the Left led to Western Foundation Cave. Makani stood there for a solid five minutes. Matty was now a small spot in the distance, and Makani hadn't realized it, but she had been crying. Although she had accepted that she and Matty wouldn't be travelling together a long time ago, it was still difficult. From here on out… She was on her own.

She felt tugging on the fur of her boot, and looking down, she met the concerned eyes of Empress. Blinking a few times, Makani wiped her eyes, and picked up Empress, still sniffling a little.

"Don't worry, Empress." Makani choked. "I'm just. Feeling some things. Missing people. I'll get over it."

Looking down the path, she finally noticed that Matty was out of sight. She placed Empress back down on the ground, and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She figured she should probably get moving… Western Foundation cave wasn't too far away, and if she was lucky, she could get through there before the sun went down. The day was still young, and time was on her side.

"It's just you 'n me now, girl."

"Pip... Pip pip, Piplup!" Empress chirped in response.

Makani took a shaky step onto the dirt road. Then another. Soon, she was walking down the left path, away from Matty, and away from Foundation City. And as she walked, that feeling of sadness dissipated. And soon, a fire replaced it. Next time she saw Matty, she'd be stronger. Empress would be stronger, and they'd win their next battle. No matter what.

Empress was still somewhat concerned with her trainer. But she admired her spirit. Empress was going to do her absolute best for her trainer. No matter what.

Elsewhere, Matty and Vulcan charged towards Eastern Foundation Cave, fueled by pure determination. Their quest had officially begun, and they were going to show the world what they could do. Matty grinned. Next time he saw Makani, he'd show her just how much stronger he'd become. He was determined to beat her. To stay one step ahead of her. No matter what.


	4. A Fortunate Slip

**Chapter Four - A Fortunate Slip**

Foundation Cave was a dark confusing labyrinth. It was very easy to get lost in, especially if you didn't have a flashlight. The glowing crystals stuck in the walls did very little to illuminate the area. However, Makani did happen to pack a flashlight. As well as three extra packets of batteries. She wasn't willing to take any risks during cave exploration. She had been walking for at least ten minutes now, but it felt like forever. The only noise that echoed throughout the dark, dreary cave was her own footsteps, the quiet padding of Empress's footsteps behind her, and the occasional squeak, from what? She did not know. She assumed Zubat or maybe even Swoobat, since they were both very common to find in caves such as this.

It was in a time like this, that Makani would kill for someone to talk to. A human to talk to, anyway. She could talk to Empress, sure… But there's only so far you can get in a conversation with a Pokemon when you have to idea what they're trying to say to you.

As Makani continued to press onward, she began to realize something. This cave was… Surprisingly barren of Pokemon. She had heard that caves were usually bustling with Zubat and Geodude and other cave-dwelling Pokemon, but she had yet to see a single glimpse of one. She had heard them, sure, but she hadn't spotted any. Another thing she realized was that there were lots of puddles on the ground. Puddles, big deal. People find puddles on the ground all the time. But it felt wrong. These weren't just small little pools of water, these puddles were large. Upon closer inspection of the surrounding area, she noticed the whole place was damp. All the rocks jutting out of the ground were coated in water. That would explain the lack of rock-type Pokemon, she supposed. Maybe another new trainer had been through here earlier with a water-type Pokemon and scared them all off? That seemed like a logical explanation…

Empress seemed oblivious to Makani's thoughts. The little Piplup had begun happily splashing about in the puddles, chirping in joy. Makani watched her partner dance about in the water, an uneasy smile on her face. At least someone was having fun. She looked at her watch. It was about 3:56pm. She still had quite a bit of time left before the sun set, but she'd still much rather get out of here as soon as possible.

"Okay Empress." Makani said, picking her partner up out of the water. "We should really get a move on. I'd like to get out of here before it gets too late-"

A loud squeaking noise cut her off. She suddenly felt like she was being watched. Now that Empress wasn't making any noises with her splashing, Makani could hear a horrible chattering starting up. Empress turned her head to look up on the ceiling, and Makani could see a look of pure _horror _appear in her partner's eyes. Taking a deep breath, she too, turned to follow Empress's gaze. And then she froze in fear. Glistening white teeth. Piercing eyes.

A flock of Zubat and Golbat hung upside down from the stalicites, and to say they looked mad was an understatement. They looked absolutely _livid_. Some of them looked like they were absolutely soaked… A few even had a few bruises. This led Makani to decide that her hunch might've been right. Someone had been here before her, and had managed to upset the Pokemon living here. One of the Golbat, one that appeared to be much larger than the rest of the flock, let go of its perch, and hovered above the trainer and her Piplup. Makani assumed that this Golbat was the leader of the flock. Taking a shaky step back, Makani held eye contact with the Golbat, and began to stammer out a sentence.

"H-hey there…! I'm sorry if we s-startled you, we were just passing through!"

The Golbat made a quiet hissing noise, turning back to the rest of its flock. A chorus of loud squealing and screeching was the response. Facing Makani again, there was a long moment of silence. Before a horrendous screech was released from the Golbat's mouth. Makani dropped Empress, doubling over and covering her ears. Empress, luckily, landed on her feet, chirping in distress. Once the screeching had died down, the Golbat dived down towards Makani and Empress, the rest of its flock hovering around them. Makani felt her heart thumping in her chest. Her adrenaline kicked in, and she grabbed Empress, spun around on her heel, and made a mad dash down the path, screaming. A horde of Zubat fluttered around her, squealing in rage.

Empress crawled up onto Makani's shoulder, facing towards the Zubat and Golbat who were gaining on them. Puffing up her chest, Empress shot a stream of bubbles out of her beak. Most of the bubbles hit their mark, and the Zubat began dropping to the floor, writhing and splashing about in the puddles. Empress continued pumping out bubbles, knocking more and more Zubat out of the air. But for every Zubat she blasted back, five more seemed to take their place. She wouldn't be able to keep this up… But she needed to hold them off for as long as possible!

Makani quickly made a sharp turn around a corner, nearly slipping on some of the water on the rocky ground. She made a low growling noise. Whoever had peeved off this flock… If she ever met them, she was going to give them a piece of her mind! She sprinted onwards. What had once been a quiet, lonely cave was now a loud battleground. Splashing, screeching, squealing and cries of pain as the Zubat hit the ground replaced the eerie silence from before. Makani stumbled a little. She was beginning to struggle to breathe.

Suddenly, the ground below her turned into a slope. She had been so focused on the flock of bats, that she hadn't noticed the sudden terrain change. Makani suddenly slipped down the slope, getting mud all over her coat and skin. Empress was clinging to her head, crying out in fear and distress. Makani squeezed her eyes shut, her fingers digging into the ground around her, trying to slow down somehow. Finally, the duo hit a wall. The squealing and screeching of the bats died down… And then faded into the background.

Makani's adrenaline was beginning to wear off. Completely exhausted, annoyed and fairly upset at how her day was going, she pulled herself up into a sitting position. She quickly picked Empress up from where she had collapsed on the ground. Aside from looking very dizzy and a little dazed, the little Penguin Pokemon didn't seem to be hurt very badly. Sighing in relief, Makani relaxed against the wall, absentmindedly rubbing Empress's head. She picked up her flashlight, checking it over. Thank Arceus above it wasn't broken. Shining a light around the area, Makani immediately noticed a problem. Three different paths. The slope must've taken them off the main path through the cave, and now they were stuck at a crossroads. Shining a light over to where they had fallen, Makani realized the slope would be too slippery and steep to climb back up. Not just that, but the flock of angry bats were up there too.

"Great Giratina!" Makani groaned, tossing her head back. "Today is just not going our way so far, huh girl?"

Empress groaned in response, rubbing the side of her head. Makani sighed wearily, trying her best to brush some of the muck off of her.

"I say we rest for a little bit. The conditions aren't ideal, but I'm tired, and we should take a moment to gather our bearings."

* * *

Makani had set up a small makeshift fire using some nearby rocks, the ground at the bottom of the slope was surprisingly dry for the most part, and she and Empress were currently eating some snacks that she had packed. Makani was eating a nutrient bar, mostly made up of oran berries and an assortment of nuts. Empress, on the other hand, was eating out of a bag of berry mix. After they had finished eating, Makani checked the time again. 4:43pm. Makani groaned. It was probably going to be dark out by the time they got out of this stupid cave.

Makani stood up, dusting herself off. She did some stretches, turning to look at the three passageways. She tried to remember what her teachers had told her about cave exploration… Follow the passage that had the strongest breeze blowing through it? That seemed about right. Packing up her things, Makani had Empress put out the fire, and the duo turned to face the challenge. Makani stood in front of all the passageways, and after double checking… She headed down the path on the right side. That path felt quite breezy.

The first thing she noticed about this passage, is that the mud and puddles were back. Empress made sure she didn't stomp around in them this time, but Makani thought it was odd. The last person to have come here must've also fallen down the slope, and gone this way. Smiling a little, Makani realized she could use this to her advantage. All she had to do was follow the puddles, right?

And that's what she did. Every time they'd come to a crossroads, they'd just follow the puddles. And it seemed to be working. Makani could begin to feel a stronger breeze. They must be on the right track, at least. The eerie silence was back, but Makani and Empress still remained cautious around the puddles, just in case there were more Zubat and Golbat hanging around. They could've always looked at the ceiling to check… But they were too nervous to do so. Whoever had left all this water must've been in a hurry. Maybe they were doing some battle training and accidentally upset the flock? Makani considered the possibility. But then again, there was a whole other mystery. No human footprints. No footprints at all, actually. WIth all this mud, Makani figured that there should've at least been some tracks left behind. But no, nothing. This was quite concerning for Makani, who couldn't wrap her head around it. Maybe there was no human at all, just a Pokemon. There were tons of flying water-type Pokemon, after all. But what would a Pokemon like that be doing in Foundation Cave of all places?

As Makani was lost in thought, Empress had waddled on ahead. The path seemed to open up into yet another chamber… But there was something off about this one. There were skid marks in the greyish-brown mud, boulders and chunks of the wall broken off and scattered around the room. Taking a steady step forward, Empress immediately recoiled back. The ground here was absolutely _drenched. _It seems that some kind of battle must've taken place here. Scanning the room a final time, Empress noticed something else that seemed quite out of place. Something was making noise. A weak hissing noise. It sounded distressed… And in pain. Peering further into the room, Empress found the source of the noise. Eyes widening in panic, she spun back around, and bolted down the path back towards Makani. She ended up slipping in one of the puddles, which sent her rolling.

Makani let out a little yelp of surprise as she saw her partner suddenly roll towards her. In one swift movement, Empress bowled into her feet, sending her tumbling to the ground. Makani gasped, holding her breath and waiting for the loud screeching of bats… But it never came. Sighing in relief, she sat up, wincing a little upon seeing her coat covered in even more mud. It was going to need a good long wash after this. Turning back to her partner, she saw Empress struggling to her feet, chirping loudly. The little Penguin cringed as she saw all the mud she was covered in. Makani helped steady her, and jumped back in surprise when Empress began tugging at her leg, pointing down towards the end of the path.

"Is something wrong?" Makani asked, dusting herself off again. Empress responded with loud chirping, nodding her head up and down really fast. "Okay girl, calm down…" Makani tried to get her to relax. Empress stopped the tugging, before running back down the path. Makani was going to tell her to slow down, but she figured there'd be no point. She followed her partner out into the chamber, whistling as she saw the damage.

"Holy Hoopa!" She exclaimed, taking a cautious step into the mud. She cringed as it made a gross squelching noise under her foot. She picked up Empress, placing her on her shoulder. "What in Arceus's name happened here?"

Empress shrugged in response, and then began waving a flipper over at a pile of rocks. Makani opened her mouth to speak, but then she heard it. The distressed squeaking noise. She recognized that noise... Cautiously walking towards the rocks, Makani expected the worst. She gasped at what she saw.

A lone Zubat, struggling on the ground. Its wing was stuck under one of the rocks, and it was unable to escape. This little fellow looked like it had taken quite the beating, and it looked very distressed. Frowning in sympathy, Makani bent down to take a better look at it. This seemed to set it off, as it began screeching in her face, flopping around on the ground. Makani quickly tried to hush it.

"Shh… Shh!" The Zubat went silent, and Makani continued. "I'm going to help you… Okay?"

The Zubat relaxed a little, seeming to have understood her words. It still seemed on edge though, hissing a little. Very carefully, Makani removed the rock from the Zubats wing. As soon as she had done that, the bat attempted to launch itself into the air. It didn't get very far though, since as soon as it had left the ground, its wing bent, and it was sent tumbling towards the mud again. Makani very quickly caught it before it hit the ground, and examined its wing.

"That doesn't look too good…" She mumbled. The Zubat made a pained noise, its healthy wing flapping about aggressively. Makani grimaced, looking around. She needed to help tend to the injured wing, but this area was too muddy and the last thing she needed was muck getting into the wounds. She ended up ducking into one of the dry passageways, sitting down against the wall. She placed the Zubat down in her lap. Thankfully, it had stopped squirming around. Poor thing was probably exhausted…

Makani pulled a towel out of her bag, placing it on the ground. She very carefully moved the Zubat onto the towel, and began rummaging around in her bag, looking for her medicine. Empress had jumped off her shoulder, and was now engaging in conversation with the Zubat. Makani wished she could understand what they were saying… But she was thankful that Empress was keeping the Zubat busy. It made her job a whole lot easier. Pulling out a potion and a roll of bandages, she got to work. The Zubat did turn to hiss at her once she had started spraying the potion, but Empress very quickly got its attention back on her. She seemed to be asking it some questions, probably about what happened in this cave. Ever so carefully, Makani began wrapping its wing up. Once she was finished, she placed her medical equipment back in her back and turned to face the Zubat.

"Does that feel better?" She asked sweetly. The Zubat looked at its wrapped up wing, stretching it out a little bit. The Zubat winced a little, but nodded. It definitely felt a whole lot better. Makani decided she should try asking it some questions of her own. "So… How did you end up stuck like that? What happened here?"

The Zubat began chirping aggressively, making a bunch of gestures with its wings. "Zu! Zuzuzuzuuzuzu bat!"

Makani tilted her head, her features twisting in confusion. "I can't understand you, little guy…"

Huffing, the Zubat turned to Empress. The two had a brief conversation that ended in Empress nodding. She walked over to a damp piece of earth, and the Zubat began chattering again. Makani stood up, walking over to see what Empress was doing. Her eyes widened. Empress… Was drawing in the dirt using her flippers. She could see some crudely drawn Zubats and Golbats, with what appeared to be peaceful expressions on their faces. As the Zubat continued Blabbering, Empress put pictures to what Makani was struggling to understand.

The finished result was a poorly drawn mess, but Makani somehow managed to put it all together.

The Zubat and Golbat were hanging around the cave, peacefully. Then, this strange-looking Pokemon showed up in the cave. Makani struggled to make out what it was… It had a large head with some kind of crown on top, and Empress had drawn some squiggly lines coming out of the head. It began spraying water everywhere, which upset the flock. The strange Pokemon began attacking everything within sight, which upset the flock even more. The bats began fighting back against the Pokemon, which led them down the slope. The fight eventually ended up in the chamber where Empress had found the Zubat. A giant Golbat - the flock leader, Makani figured, and the strange Pokemon engaged in battle. The mystery 'Mon defeated the leader, and then the chamber began to collapse, hence all the rocks. The Golbat retreated and the flock scattered, however, the Zubat they had just rescued got caught in the rockfall, and got stuck. The strange Pokemon fled, but in the opposite direction.

Empress used her bubble attack to wash the mud off her flippers, cringing. Makani turned back to the Zubat, who had curled up in the towel, shaking and shivering. Makani immediately felt sorry for it. She approached, and gently hugged the little guy, careful not to hurt its damaged wing.

"You poor thing…" She murmured. "You've been through quite the ringer, huh?"

"Zuuuu…" The little bat rasped. It seemed to have calmed down, and didn't seem too bothered by her presence anymore.

"How long have you been down here?"

The Zubat shook its head in response. Makani's frown deepened.

"You don't know…?"

A nod. Makani pulled her bag close to her, digging around in it. She pulled out a bag of berry mix, emptying it out on the ground. The Zubat turned to look at the food, head tilting in confusion.

"Go ahead and eat." Makani urged. "You must be starving…"

Squealing in what Makani figured was delight, the Zubat began gorging the food down without hesitation. Makani watched it eat, a small smile appearing on her face. Maybe it was a good thing she had tumbled down that slope. If she hadn't, this Zubat might've… She shook her head. She refused to finish that thought. But then she began to think. There's no way that this Zubat would be flying properly anytime soon. She'd just treated the injury best she could with a potion. If this Zubat wanted to get back into the air, it'd probably need treatment at a Pokemon Center. But it had a flock, too. A family. She didn't really know what to do in this situation. She figured she should probably ask the Zubat itself.

"Hey, Zubat?"

The little bat pokemon looked up from it's meal, tilting its head.

"You belong to that flock, right?"

A little nod.

"Well… I was thinking, your wing isn't properly healed, yet. You won't be able to fly properly for a while, so I figured that if I took you to a medical facility, they could help you better there. But I don't want to take you away from your family. What do you think?"

There was a long moment of silence. Then the Zubat turned to face Empress, and they got talking again. Makani groaned, rubbing her forehead. It was times like these where she really wished she could understand Pokemon… Empress was making some gestures with her flippers, chirping. The Zubat squeaked back in response, turning back towards Makani. It began flapping its wings, pointing at Empress, then towards her bag, then towards her, making indistinguishable noises. Makani hummed, trying to make sense of this. Empress just rolled her eyes, waddling over and poking her head into the bag.

"Hey!" Makani yelped in surprise. "What do you think you're doing, missy?"

"Pip! Piplup pip!" Empress yakked back. She reached into the bag, trying to grab something. Her flipper wrapped around something round and metallic. Carefully, she backed up out of the bag, holding the object up to Makani.

A red and white Pokeball.

Makani's mouth dropped open, and she turned back to the Zubat. It didn't have any eyes, but there was an undeniable look of happiness on its face. Blinking in surprise, Makani took the ball from Empress, running her fingers over it.

"Do you… Want to come with us?" Makani tentatively asked, showing the ball to the bat. The response was a series of happy squeaking noises, followed by vigorous nodding. Makani breathed heavily, her heart pounding.

A Zubat…? As her first catch? It wasn't exactly original… But Makani didn't care. The professor's words echoed in her head. _All Pokemon have potential._

This Zubat seemed eager and was willing to leave this cave with her. And that was good enough for her. Makani stood up, clutching the pokeball with shaking hands. Maybe this would benefit them both… The Zubat would get proper medical help, and Makani would have her first new team member. She reared her arm back… And threw. The ball hit its mark, right on the Zubat's head. In a burst of red light, the bat vanished into the ball. Makani grinned happily. The ball shook… Once… Twice… Three times…

_Click!_

The button on the pokeball flashed green, and her pokedex beeped. Pulling it out of her pocket, Makani saw the pokeball symbol on the device flashing green. She lightly tapped the symbol, and the holographic screen popped up, this time with an image of a Zubat on it.

"_Zubat, the Bat Pokemon. It sleeps in caves during the day. It has no eyes, so to check its surroundings while flying, it emits ultrasonic waves. This Zubat is male, and knows the moves Absorb, Supersonic, Wing Attack and Bite."_

Tucking her 'dex back into her pocket, Makani picked up Zubat's pokeball, hugging it close to her chest. Empress cheered in delight, happy to finally have another Pokemon to talk to. Makani released Zubat from his ball, and he fluttered unsteadily in the air, squealing with happiness. Makani reached out and gently pet his head, smiling softly.

"Welcome to the team, lil' guy." She said, picking up her towel off the ground. "Hmm… How would you like a nickname?"

Zubat made a confused squeaking noise, before Empress called him down. She whispered something into his ears, and he seemed to perk up a little bit. Zubat flew back up to Makani, nodding his head, a joyful grin on his face.

"Okay! Hold on a moment while I think of something…"

Zubat was a poison/flying type… Maybe something to do with poison…? Toxic? Nah, too generic. Sting? Wouldn't make sense. Her Zubat doesn't even know how to use Poison Sting. Fangs? Absolutely not, too obvious. Maybe…

"How do you like the name, Veno?"

Zubat flapped in place for a long moment, thinking about the name. Then, he nodded, chirping happily. Makani grinned, pulling him in for a hug. "Veno it is, then!"

Empress crawled up Makani's legs, and joined the hug. The team wrapped each other in a warm embrace. It was a welcome change from the dark emptiness of the cave. However… Makani quickly realized something. They were still down in the cave. She looked at her watch again. 5:35pm. If she was lucky she could still get out of here before it became too dark, and then she could set up camp for the night. She could get to the Pokemon Center tomorrow if she hurried. Letting go of her Pokemon, she zipped up her bag, pulling it back on.

"Alright gang. We should really get a move on. I don't know about you guys, but I really don't wanna spend the night down here…"

Her Pokemon yakked back in agreement. Empress crawled up onto her trainers shoulder, while Veno perched on top of her head, making some quiet squeaking noises. Picking up her flashlight, Makani went back to following the mud and puddles. Passing through the chamber again wasn't pleasant… Great Giratina she'd have a lot of mud to wash off when she got out of here. The trek was silent and to be honest, she really appreciated that. She was tired and sweaty and covered in mud and just wanted to lie down and sleep off this headache she had.

As she pressed on, she began to rethink the day's events. Because of that slip, she had managed to rescue a trapped Pokemon, and make a new friend in doing so. Sure, she and Empress were completely covered in mud and muck, but maybe it was worth it. No… It _was _worth it. Veno would've suffered in silence for much longer if she hadn't shown up. She remembered the pictures that Empress had drawn. Makani wondered what that strange Pokemon that had been attacking the flock was… It had to have been some kind of water-type, right? It just had to be. But what was it doing down in Foundation Cave? Maybe it had just gotten lost somehow. But if that were the case, it wouldn't have just started attacking the Pokemon for no reason, right? It was baffling to the young girl. She just couldn't wrap her head around it.

Empress and Veno's chattering snapped her back to reality. Makani grinned in realization as she felt the breeze get stronger. And then she saw light in the distance.

"Hold on tight, guys!" She yelled in excitement, running towards the light.

* * *

She flopped down in the nearest patch of grass. Makani had never before been so grateful for grass and dry dirt. She had just finished setting up a makeshift camp, and the sun was almost completely gone over the hills. It was now 7:34pm, and she was just about ready to doze off right there and then. Veno and Empress were in the tent, already fast asleep. There had been a river nearby, so Makani had given everyone a wash, and then cleaned her clothes off. She couldn't wait to get to the Pokemon Center so she could take a shower...

Route One wasn't really anything incredible. Makani had been surprised, however, to find out that she had somehow ended up on the right path. Which meant that the underground tunnels connected to Eastern Foundation Cave. There was no sign of Matty though, so Makani figured he must already be ahead of her. She didn't mind, though. She had gotten quite sidetracked today. She smiled a little. She hadn't really expected her first day as a trainer to be this eventful. Being chased by a flock of angry bats, falling down a slope, finding the remnants of a ferocious fight, discovering Veno… Makani looked over at the tent. Veno still wasn't flying quite right, and she figured she'd let him rest in his pokeball tomorrow. She didn't want to make him fly on a bad wing, it obviously caused him pain.

Makani was still curious about what had happened in the caves. She wondered how one Pokemon was able to do so much damage, and what it was even doing down there. Foundation Cave isn't known for water types. Scratching the top of her head, Makani let out a fretful sigh. Maybe she'd have the question answered one day. But right now, she was exhausted. Pushing herself up off the ground, she quietly snuck into the tent, careful not to wake her sleeping Pokemon. She had to admit, she was pleased that Empress and Veno were getting along alright. She was worried that Empress might get jealous, with her prideful personality and whatnot. But she was surprisingly cool with it. One less thing to worry about, Makani figured.

Crawling into her sleeping bag, she stared at the roof of the tent for a solid minute, before closing her eyes.


End file.
